User Guide

Glossary 635
digital A description of data that is stored or transmitted as a sequence of ones and
zeros. Most commonly, refers to binary data represented by electronic or
electromagnetic signals. All files used in the Logic Studio applications are digital. Also
see analog for comparison.
Digital Full Scale See DFS.
disclosure triangle A small triangle you click to show or hide details in the user
interface.
distortion The effect that occurs when the limit of what can be accurately reproduced
in a digital signal is surpassed, resulting in a sharp, crackling sound.
drag & drop Grabbing objects with the mouse, moving them, and releasing the mouse
button.
driver Drivers are software programs that enable various pieces of hardware and
software to be recognized by computer applications. If the proper driver is not
correctly installed for your audio hardware, your computer may not recognize or work
properly with it. See Devices tab.
DSP (digital signal processing) The mathematical processing of digital information to
modify a signal. An example is the Insert slot of Logic Pro channel strips, which assigns
DSP effects such as dynamic compression and delay to a channel signal. Even simple
operations such as changing volume and pan are DSP calculations.
dynamics Refers to changes in volume, or other aspects of a piece of music, over time.
dynamic range The dynamic range is the difference in level between the highest
signal peak that can be reproduced by an audio system (or device in the system) and
the amplitude of the highest spectral component of the noise floor. Put another way,
the dynamic range is the difference between the loudest and softest signals that the
system can reproduce. It is measured in decibels (dB). See decibels.
Editor view Almost all Logic Pro plug-ins (and Audio Units) offer a graphical view of
effect and instrument parameters. The Editor view is the default, but can be accessed
via the Editor item in the View menu at the top of each plug-in window, should the
Controls view be visible.
effect A type of software algorithm that alters the sound of an audio signal in a variety
of ways. Logic Studio includes a set of EQ, dynamics, time-based, modulation, and
distortion effects.
envelope The envelope graphically represents the variation that a sound exhibits over
time. An envelope, used as a controlling device, basically determines how a sound
starts, continues, and ends. Synthesizer envelopes usually consist of attack, decay,
sustain, and release phases.